1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical generators. More particularly, the present invention relates to a fluid-driven electrical generator utilizing internal driven fluid currents to generate a regular oscillation that generates electricity through electromagnetic induction or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Due to the limitations of non-renewable energy sources, such as oil and coal, as well as the negative environmental effects of such energy sources, it is desirable to provide efficient and enhanced energy conversion and transfer systems which are convenient and inexpensive to operate for the end-user. Converting the kinetic energy present in flowing fluids, such as wind or water, into usable mechanical or electrical energy is well known in the art. Wind-powered generators typically harness these fluid flows for the production of electricity. Wind-powered generators, and similar technologies, typically utilize a turbine or a rotating airfoil. While these turbine-based wind generators are generally useful in certain open spaces with consistently high-speed winds, drawbacks still exist, such as heavy initial capital costs, low efficiency at all but a narrow range of wind speeds, the lack of cost effectiveness at lower power outputs levels (i.e., less than one kW), and inefficiency in trying to scale down the power output for a typical single family home. Water wheels, wave-driven energy generators and other fluid-based systems suffer from the same drawbacks.
Smaller scale fluid-based generators and power converters are also known in the art, such as home water wheels, small wind generators and the like, and generally include hydraulic or pneumatic systems for converting initially input mechanical energy into energy for driving an external system. Though such systems are typically sealed, fluid pressure must either be constantly regulated or varied throughout the operation of the system, thus requiring a large amount of energy input to sustain the system, which decreases the efficiency of the system in terms of net energy usage. Further, such systems typically require the fluid or fluids to be transferred from one chamber to the next, which causes great loss of energy in fluid resistance, friction and in the energy required to transfer the fluid.
Thus, a fluid-driven electrical generator solving the aforementioned problems is desired.